How Soundscapes Tell the Story in Monument Valley 3

Sure thing. Here’s a more personal, messy take:

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Alright, so Monument Valley 3 is a thing now, right? And it’s got this whole soundscape vibe going on that just pulls you in, like when you put on those fuzzy headphones and everything else just fades away. Todd Baker, the guy behind the sounds, said something about making each step in the game like a beat in a song. Cool, right?

When they kicked off this project at ustwo games, they weren’t just vibing with past tunes. No way. Todd and his buddy, Lucie Treacher, went rogue with the soundtrack—ditching old patterns and diving into fresh waters. They didn’t want to just slap music on top of the visuals. It was about syncing everything—like the music is stitched into the game’s DNA or something. Got massive awards buzz because of that.

And about the sound, every level in the game? It’s like walking into a different universe of noise. Not one boring theme for the whole game but little musical worlds for each chapter. Imagine playing? You could hear the breathy Bansuri and the ding of a Gamelan in there, all while the game tells Noor’s story. And they didn’t just pick those sounds because they’re cool. Nope, they picked them because they add texture or something. Makes me think of when you smell a particular food and suddenly you’re back in grandma’s kitchen. Weird, but it fits.

Oh, and the sound reacts to you. Spin a tower and bam! The music changes. It’s like you’re remixing the tune on the fly. Lucie and Todd put in water sounds, too, which came out of nowhere. They’ve got recordings of rivers, taps, and I think maybe even someone gargling? Joking! But seriously, it’s all mixed in there, sometimes in the background, sometimes upfront. Adds this layer that’s kinda hypnotic.

One of the game levels, inspired by paper—yes, paper. The music needed to feel hand-crafted. So they blended in paper rustling, lo-fi hiss, and whatnot. Like your ears are flipping through an old book. Kinda chaotic, but in a good way.

And here’s what really gets me: the sounds match Noor’s journey—a mix of grief, hope, all that human stuff. Sometimes you’re hit with soft whispers of flutes, other times the music just explodes in your ears. Not just notes but emotion. All tied to Noor’s ups and downs. Beautiful chaos.

And folks better grab some headphones for this one. It’s meant to wrap you in, like when you’re alone but feel connected to everything. I guess that’s the magic of this game. It’s not just pushing blocks around.

Monument Valley 3 is hitting Xbox with all this audio-visual artistry on July 22, so I guess keep your ears and eyes peeled. Oh, and there’s a vinyl if you’re into those sweet, vinyl crackles—no idea why I love that sound.

Anyway, get ready for Monument Valley 3 to mess with your senses. Who knew a game could feel like this wild art piece?